Wash Your Car the Green Way |
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 Few people realize that washing our cars in our
driveways is one of the most environmentally
UN-friendly chores we can do around the house.
Washing your car is only a problem if you don’t
know where or how to do it correctly. Not only
does a commercial car wash use up to 60% less
water than the average homeowner, but it
recycles the water and eliminates the
possibility of allowing what runs off from your
car to go right
into storm drains -- and eventually into rivers,
streams, creeks and wetlands where it poisons
aquatic life and wreaks other ecosystem havoc.
After all, that water is loaded with a witch’s
brew of gasoline, oil and residues from exhaust
fumes -- as well as the harsh detergents being
used for the washing itself.
Often, citizens don’t know that by washing all
that winter grime off their vehicles they might
actually be causing harm to our local waterways.
Unlike household waste water that enters sewers
or septic systems and undergoes treatment before
it is discharged into the environment, what runs
off from your car goes right into the storm
drains.
Pollution associated with car washing degrades
water quality while also finding its way into
sediments, impacting aquatic habitats.
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What you can do?
(click each for more info)
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Go to the Car
Wash
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Choose your
Soap Wisely
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Play on the
Lawn
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Raise Funds a
Better Way
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Clean it up
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Choose the Car
Wash
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Best Practices
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Go to the carwash |
The best way to minimize the effect washing your
car has on the environment is to use a
commercial car wash. Most locations reuse wash
water several times before sending it to a
treatment plant. However, if you choose to wash
your car at home or on the street, these are
some things that you can do to minimize the
water quality impact.
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Choose your soap wisely |
Use biodegradable, phosphate-free, water-based
cleaners only. Wash soaps contain what are known
as "surfactants". These are used to help break
the surface tension of the dirt particles on
your car. Many car wash soaps on the market use
phosphates or petro-based chemicals as their
surfactants. So, when you actually wash down the
car, contained in the water are all the
pollutants from your vehicle. These include
brake dust, oils, exhaust fumes and other nasty
contaminants. While your car may look great when
you're done washing, one must consider where all
that soapy water has gone.
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Play on the Lawn |
Wash on an area that absorbs water, such as
gravel, or grass. This can filter water before
it enters groundwater, storm drains, or creeks.
Even when using
green-friendly cleaners, it is better to avoid
the driveway and instead wash your car on your
lawn or over dirt.
By washing your car on
the lawn, you are providing a filter for the
soapy water. Grass and other plants absorb the
chemicals and other contaminants, thereby
reducing the amount of pollutants that ends up
in the storm drain.
The root systems of plants can tolerate much
more than can aquatic insects and fish.
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Raise Funds a Better Way |
One last caution:
Kids and parents planning a fundraising car wash
event should know that they might be violating
clean water laws if run-off is not contained and
disposed of properly. When planning a car
wash fundraiser, try developing a partnership
with a commercial car wash facility, or use a
safe location. Consider a
fund-raisers to sell tickets redeemable at local
car washes, enabling the organizations to still
make money while keeping dry and keeping local
waterways clean.
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Clean it up |
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After washing your car, always empty wash
buckets into sinks or toilets where it will
filter to the sanitary sewer for treatment.
Also, try to sop up
or disperse those sudsy puddles that remain
after you’re done. They contain toxic residues
and can tempt thirsty animals.
You can keep your car clean and
attractive-looking, while taking care of the
environment at the same time! It is so easy!
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Car Washes Conserve Water |
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Professional, commercial car washes use
water management technology developed
through industry and university research
that enables them to wash cars thoroughly
with a fraction of the water a home car wash
uses.
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High-pressure nozzles and pumps at car
washes are designed to get the most use out
of water flow.
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Special pressure nozzles mix 50% air with
water to create pressure without volume.
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A ten minute home wash can use as much as
140 gallons, based on engineering studies
that show a 5/8” hose running at 50 psi uses
14 gallons of water per minute (WCA
figures).
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Professional car wash equipment can clean a
car in just a few minutes, using between 15
and 60 gallons, depending on the equipment
used and whether it is a self-service or
conveyor wash.
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Comparison with other water uses:
Dripping faucet: 25-30 gal./day
Toilet flush: 5-7 gal.
10-minute shower: 25-50 gal.
Washing machine at top water level: 60 gal.
Brushing teeth: 2 gal.
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For most people, their car is their second
most valuable asset. Keeping it clean
extends the life of the car.
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Car washes provide jobs for people in the
Peninsula Region, and significantly
contribute to its tax base.
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Driveway and parking lot car washing
discharge consists of oils, grease, elements
from brake linings, rust, trace amounts of
benzene and possibly chromium. Adding soap
to the mix introduces phenols, dyes, acids,
and ammonia
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Here are some “Best Practices” for washing cars
at home |
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1.
Wash your car on the grassy surface to minimize
the runoff. Make sure you are not causing any
inconveniences to pedestrians. As this is the
breach of local councils? regulations.
2.
You can wash your car in the driveway if it
drains onto a lawn or garden area but never do
this if the water runs into a street or a drain.
3.
When you wash your car you must be sure that the
area does not drain into the storm water system,
including the drains in the street.
4.
If you can’t reasonably avoid washing the car
over impervious surfaces (for example, in
apartment communities), block off the storm
drains and divert the runoff water to the
sanitary sewer or a safe recharge area.
5.
In case of absence of a suitable area to wash
your car look for alternative area ? maybe one
of your friends or neighbors has a suitable
ground.
6.
Suitable areas for car washing are always
provided by service stations.
The best place where you can wash your vehicle
is a self serve car wash
where the runoff water is treated to remove
pollutants before getting into the sewer.
7.
When washing your car use a trigger hose, hoses
with automatic shut-off nozzles or at least
bucket to save water.
8.
Don’t use much detergent or soap. You’d better
wash the car with plain water and coarse sponge.
If you prefer detergents they must be
biodegradable low- and no-phosphate.
9.
The waste water must be disposed onto a lawn or
garden.
10.
Wash you car once, maximum twice a month and
reduce the amount of cleaning products per wash. |
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http://epa.gov/nps/toolbox/other/KSMO_CarWashing.pdf
http://environment.about.com/od/greenlivingdesign/a/car_wash.htm
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/53878/cars/the_dirty_side_of_car_washing.html
http://autotips.plentycar.com/car-washing-and-environmental-pollution/
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